Kolkata: Against the backdrop of rumblings in the Trinamool following its poll debacle, party chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Friday told candidates who had lost the 2026 assembly elections that she would build the organisation afresh.
Banerjee's Strong Message to Losing Candidates
A party senior quoted Banerjee as telling the candidates: "Those who want to leave are free to go; I will not stop anyone. Those who stay back will be pure gold. I will rebuild the party afresh. Repair party offices. I will paint them myself. Many people are changing colours now. Let them leave."
Action Plan and Fact-Finding Teams
The former CM also sought area-wise reports within seven days and directed workers to hold meetings at block and town levels, said sources. She tasked Chandrima Bhattacharya with providing legal assistance to workers allegedly forced out of their homes. Soon after, TMC announced three fact-finding teams, comprising several MPs, to visit South 24 Parganas, East Midnapore, and Hooghly. Party MP Sagarika Ghose said, "These teams will travel across Bengal starting Saturday to gather details on how BJP stole the polls."
Internal Friction and Cryptic Messages
The meeting took place amid visible internal friction. Senior MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar posted a cryptic message on social media on Friday shortly after being replaced as the party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha by Kalyan Banerjee. "Known since 1976, journey began in 1984. Today I have been rewarded for four decades of loyalty," Kakoli wrote on X. The post was widely interpreted as an expression of resentment. Earlier, her son Baidyanath had praised CPM's Mohammed Salim.
A few losing candidates, including actor Sayantika Banerjee, were absent from the Kalighat session.
